Style is a luxury, and luxury is simply what makes you happy. Over the years, design expert Deborah Needleman has seen all kinds of rooms, with all kinds of furnishings. Her conclusion: It's not hard to create a relaxed, stylish, and comfortable home. Just a few well-considered items can completely change the feel of your space, and The Perfectly Imperfect Home reveals them all. Ranging from classics such as "A Really Good Sofa" and "Pretty Table Settings" to unusual surprises like "A Bit of Quirk" and "Cozifications," the essential elements of style are treated in witty and wonderfully useful little essays. You'll learn what to look for, whether you are at a flea market or a fancy boutique-or just mining what you already own. Celebrated artist Virginia Johnson's original watercolor illustrations bring the items and the inspiring rooms of world-famous tastemakers to vibrant life. Styling tips and simple how-tos show you techniques to put it all together to create, say, a beautifully made bed (the fast way and the fancy way), an inviting reading nook, or an effortlessly chic display of pictures. According to Deborah, the point of decorating is to create the background for the best life you can have, with all its joys and imperfections. This book will show you how. deborah needleman is the editor in chief of WSJ. Magazine and creator of the Off Duty section of The Wall Street Journal. She was the founding editor in chief of domino magazine and coauthor of domino: the book of decorating. virginia johnson's illustrations have appeared in books by Kate Spade and on textiles carried in more than one hundred stores, including Barneys, Liberty of London, and Net-A-Porter.

Deborah Needleman is the editor in chief of T: The New York Times Style Magazine and creator of the Off Duty section of The Wall Street Journal. She was the founding editor in chief of domino magazine and co-author of domino: the book of decorating. She grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and attended George Washington University. She now lives in Manhattan with her husband, Slate editor in chief Jacob Weisberg, and their two children.

Virginia Johnson was born in Toronto and attended Parsons School of Design before returning to her hometown, where she now lives with her husband and two children. Her illustrations have appeared in books by Kate Spade and on textiles carried in more than 100 stores, including Barneys, Liberty of London, and Net-A-Porter.